Complicated
by Mika Casey
Summary: Naruto high school fic. It's actually better than you think. : Pairings in future chapters: ShinoHina, NejiTen, NaruSaku, KibaIno, ShikaTema.
1. Introduction

Hinata was rudely awakened by hands clasped to her shoulder. Before she even opened her eyes, her fist shot out towards her attacker. She smirked when she heard a low grunt as her knuckles connected with their stomach.

"Ow! Hinata!" Her cousin, Neji, whined. "I was just going to tell you that school starts in twenty minutes!"

Her eyes flew open. Her cousin stood a few feet away from the bed, grumbling and glaring at her through his squinted lavender eyes. The walls of her room were pale purple. Posters of the bands Avenged Sevenfold, Breaking Benjamin, Disturbed, Evanescence, Flyleaf, Killswitch Engage, Linkin Park, Nirvana, Papa Roach, Seether, Skillet, Three Days Grace, Trapt, and Trust Company were taped all over her walls, so you could barely see the color underneath. There was a desk with papers scattered all over it, but otherwise the room was spotless. She was clad in a black tank top and green pajama bottoms. Her long midnight colored hair was messed up.

"I'll be ready by then." She told him curtly as she got out of bed, her toes wiggling on the fluffy white carpet. Neji left to give her some privacy as she rushed around to get all her stuff together.

Exactly thirteen minutes later, Hinata hopped into a car slammed the door to Neji's old gray truck closed. She was wearing tight jeans, black hightop converses, and a Disturbed tank top. She had three black hairties on her left wrist and big sunglasses on her face. She laughed as Neji raised an eyebrow at her.

"I think I've set a new record." She giggled as he handed her a toaster pastry from the driver's seat.

Her cousin was wearing pale blue jeans and a white Konoha Baseball tee-shirt. He pushed his own smaller sunglasses up further on the bridge of his nose and adjusted his pale gray cap. His hair was in a ponytail, which sprouted from the hole in the back of his hat. He turned back forward and pressed play on the stereo. His Nirvana CD was set in motion, and the song "Heart-Shaped Box" boomed from the speakers in the doors. There were only a few bands that Hinata and Neji ever agreed on, and Nirvana was one of them. Neji put the car in gear and pulled out of the driveway, speeding towards the high school as he belted out the words to the song. Hinata chewed on her toaster pastry as she tapped her fingers against the window.

When Neji heard the movement of her fingers, he paused mid-lyric and hissed at her. "Get your filthy paw off my truck window!"

Hinata stopped and turned to make a face at him. "Your car is a piece of trash." She informed him, but she stopped and started to kick the glovebox with one of her converses.

Neji rolled his eyes, but said nothing as they pulled into the school parking lot.

When her cousin had parked and turned off the car, Hinata exited and slung her black backpack onto her shoulders. She picked up two textbooks from their spot underneath her feet; one a green biology book, and one orange math book. She held them against her chest and closed the car door with the heel of her shoe. She called "Bye, Neji!" over her shoulder. She walked into the school with her head down, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

WHAM! Hinata almost immediately smacked into someone. She took a few steps back to make sure she was still balanced, and a blush spread over her face as she looked up and prepared to apologize. But her jaw snapped shut as she saw who she ran into, and she smiled.

"Watch where you're going, ma'am." A boy her age practically growled at her, chocolate-colored eyes glowing playfully. His lips were curled into a smile, which distorted the triangular tattoos he had on his cheeks. His smile turned into a grin as her smile turned into a glare, his pointy eyeteeth glinting in the morning sun. He was wearing jeans and an worn old tee-shirt, and he had a skateboard tucked under his arm. She heard a yip as his small dog poked his head over his shoulder, panting happily.

She chuckled softly. "You aren't allowed to have a skateboard or a dog at school, stupid." She began a fake lecture. "Mr. Inuzuka, haven't you had enough detentions for you to get that through your thick skull?"

The boy shook his head. "The teachers don't care anymore." He laughed. "Anyway, I gotta get going. I'm ditching Bio to meet up with Shikamaru out behind the dumpster. He told me he has some good stuff." He winked.

"Careful, Kiba." Hinata warned him. "I don't want to be the one to scrape you off the curb as the scum of society."

Kiba sniffed, pretending to be hurt. "Don't be so motherly, Hinata." And with another low growl, Kiba dashed off to find Shikamaru.

Rolling her eyes as she continued to walk to her locker, Hinata kept her head up. But she still avoided the gazes of others. People walked by her, chattering and grinning at eachother and gossiping. Hinata finally got to her locker and started to twist the combination lock. "20...17..." She muttered to herself.

A voice from beside her made her jump. She smacked the locker next to her angrily, turning towards the voice. "What?!" She practically yelled.

A boy, about a head taller than her, was leaning his arm against a locker. His head was leaning against his arm. He was wearing baggy jeans and dark gray etnies, and a baggy gray jacket that had a high collar that covered his half his face. He was wearing very dark sunglasses over his black eyes, and his dark brown hair was spiked up. A small smile peeked through the collar. "I've already memorized your combination. You should be more careful." His low voice rasped.

Hinata finished opening her locker and put her biology book into it. Shutting it violently, she snapped the lock back onto it. "Shut up and walk me to math, Shino."

Shino nodded and walked by her side as they headed towards her first class. They walked in a comfortable silence. Her skin brushed the material on his jacket, and she blushed slightly. She tilted her face towards him, speaking. "Hey, Shino?"

"Hmm?" He muttered, diverting his gaze to her as he continued to walk.

Hinata dropped her voice to slightly above a whisper. "Kiba has been hanging out with Shikamaru a lot lately, and I'm worried. Do you think you could help me keep and eye on him?"

"Of course." Shino answered. Shino, Hinata, and Kiba had been best friends since they were in kindergarten. They knew eachother inside and out, and they were inseperable.

When they got to Hinata's math class, she flashed a smile at her friend. "You'd better take off, dude. Tardy bell rings in two minutes."

Shino lowered his sunglasses down his nose and winked at her with one of his black eyes. "I'll be there in thirty seconds." He said before running off in the opposite direction.

Hinata watched him go for a second before turning towards the classroom. She walked in, picking a seat near the front of the classroom and setting her backpack onto the desk. She sat down in her seat, and extracted a book out of her backpack to prepare for another lecture.

Her math teacher, Mr. Hatake, was standing in front of the class. His silver hair was slicked down, and his one good eye was staring his students down. He was wearing a green sweater and khacki pants. The bell rang punctually. "Allright, class." He spoke. "Today you will be learning about the Quadratic Formula..."

Hinata already knew everything Mr. Hatake taught them. Shino was brilliant, and had already tutored her and Kiba in everything there was to know about math. She opened her book to the page she had already marked in 'Of Mice and Men' and began to read.

The bell rang an hour and a half later, startling Hinata. She closed her book and stowed it away in her backpack. Slinging the pack over her shoulder, she trudged out of the classroom.

Her next two classes passed similarly to the first. History with Ms. Kumori was just watching a black and white video that she didn't pay attention to, and English with Ms. Awai consisted of learning about punctuation. Hinata thought it was hysterical that the teachers thought they were so stupid.

Walking towards Shino's car for lunch break, Hinata was joined by Shino and Kiba. Shino walked in silence, while Kiba was giggling like a girl.

Hinata looked at Kiba curiously. "Did you skip second and third period?"

Kiba looked at her, his eyes glazed over and a bit of drool on his lip. "'Course." He was smiling like an idiot. His small white dog, Akamaru, was barking from in his hood.

Shino, who was walking on the other side of Hinata, was using all of his willpower not to reach over and smack Kiba upside his head. Shino leaned down and growled quietly in Hinata's ear. "I'm going to knock some sense into him later."

Hinata smiled slyly. "Be good, Shino."

Shino just cursed under his breath.

They ended up at Shino's car, which was parked in the middle of the parking lot. It was a black truck, much larger and fancier than Neji's. Hinata opened a door for Kiba so he could get in the back seat. Kiba threw his skateboard in to the truck and hopped in, shutting the door behind him.

Shino got into the driver's seat as Hinata jumped into shotgun. Akamaru hopped out of Kiba's hood and jumped into Hinata's lap. Shino started the car, and the song "Downfall" by Trust Company blasted the speakers. Shino and Hinata had almost exactly the same taste in music. Kiba yowled from the backseat, but didn't have enough working brain cells to object to the tunes. Hinata laughed happily and rolled the window down so Akamaru could stick his tiny head out into the wind. He yapped happily as the wind ruffled up his fur.

Shino drove to the Ramen Shop. When he parked, the trio got out of the car. Hinata clutched Akamaru to her chest as they walked towards the bar of the shop.

"Three bowls of ramen!" Hinata called to the server when they got there. She helped Kiba sit down properly and put Akamaru in his lap. Shino sat next to her, and his knee accidentally brushed hers. This sent shivers down her spine and her face was tinted pink, so she looked away for a moment so he wouldn't see.

Hinata felt a large hand clasp her shouldler. "You okay, Hina?" Shino's deep voice sounded by her ear.

She practically jumped in her seat. "Y-yeah." She stuttered, blushing even more. She was relived when the three ramen bowls were set before them, and she dug in immediately so she didn't have to answer any more questions.

Shino just smiled behind his collar as he turned to devour his own food. 


	2. A Simple Gesture

**Disclaimer:** These characters are not mine. I'm not _that_ smart. x  
**Author's Note:** About Hinata's personality; my theory is that she's going to snap and become a bad girl. So, I based her personality off mine; I used to be shy and timid, and now I'm loud and angry. Must've been puberty for both of us.

**Key.**

_Writing_

* * *

Hinata and her guy friends had come to the most favorited Konoha High School lunch spot. Several seats down the bar, the popular sophmores were chattering about the latest gossip. Ino Yamanaka, a blonde girl with bright blue eyes, spoke loudly. "Did you hear that Neji and Tenten are dating?" She squealed happily, like she had just unveiled some huge secret.

Hinata snorted. She had known that _weeks_ ago.

But everyone around Ino gasped in suprise. There were three of them; two boys and a girl. Her little followers were entranced by every word that exited her large mouth. A black-haired boy wound his arm around her waist. He was her boyfriend, Sasuke Uchiha. They had been dating since the beginning of freshman year. Hinata was convinced that Ino had blackmailed Sasuke into it.

A pink haired girl to Ino's left opened her mouth to add her two cents. "And did you hear what Shino and Hinata are doing?" She said, a little too loudly.

Hinata practically choked on her ramen. A blonde boy next to the pink-haired girl elbowed her in the side. "Shhh, Sakura!" He tilted his head towards Hinata and her friends.

Too late. Hinata was already out of her seat and pacing menacingly towards Sakura. "What did you say?" Her voice was almost a hiss.

Sakura smirked, seeing no threat in the lavender-eyed girl. "Well, since you two are obviously...well...you know..."

"I don't know. Tell me." Hinata dared her, eyes lit on fire by her rage.

Sakura opened her mouth to finish her sentence, but ended up screaming and throwing her hands up when she saw Hinata's fist set in motion towards her face. But, much to Sakura's relief, someone's hand caught Hinata's elbow before her knuckles could make contact with the pink-haired girl's nose.

"Stop, Hinata. She's not worth it." Shino's voice calmed her as it danced around her ear. His iron grip on her elbow loosened as she dropped her fist.

Hinata turned away from Sakura and her friends and walked towards her bowl, breathing deeply to stop the adrenaline pulsing through her veins. Her appetite had gone out the window, so she violently set money down on the table and stomped in the direction of the parking lot.

She heard Sakura's voice from behind her, shrill with newfound confidence. "What's the matter? Geek got your tongue?"

Now Sakura was insulting Shino. Hinata began to turn back around, but Shino's hand met the small of her back as he herded her towards the car. "Ignore them, Hina." He muttered softly.

She huffed angrily, but obeyed him. Shino had his other hand wrapped around Kiba's arm, and was dragging them along with them. Kiba was howling angrily, holding Akamaru in his arms.

When the three of them got to Shino's truck, Shino practically threw Kiba and his dog into the back seat. Hinata was leaning with her back against the passenger door, arms folded across her chest and eyes cast towards the ground. Shino leaned his hands against the car so she was trapped between him and his truck. He looked down at her through his sunglasses. "Hinata, let it go. They're just idiots." He told her with an even voice.

Hinata kicked his large gray shoe with her small black converse. Her gaze was still focused on the parking lot concrete.

Shino cupped her chin with his right hand, bringing her face up so he could see her lavender eyes. His left hand was still on the car. "Forget them." He said, voice more assertive than before.

She could just kiss him at that moment. She wanted to. He wouldn't object or push her away, if he wanted her to or not. But she was painfully aware that Sakura and her friends were watching them eagerly, waiting for something to happen. So she pulled her chin out of his hand and averted her gaze. "We should get back to school." She muttered, avoiding his hidden black eyes.

Shino broke the cage he had formed around her and walked around the car to the driver's side. Hinata took a couple of deep breaths before turning around and getting into the front seat of the car.

Kiba and Akamaru were whimpering in the back seat. Shino spoke. "Kiba, you're going home. Tell your mom you're not feeling well."

Kiba opened his mouth to protest, but Shino lowered his sunglasses and shot him a death glare through the rearview mirror. Kiba was silent for the rest of the trip to the Inuzuka house.

When Shino came to a stop in front of Kiba's house, Kiba got out of the car. He grabbed his backpack, skateboard, and dog. He shut the car door with his shoulder before turning and lumbering clumsily towards his home.

Kiba Inuzuka's house was small, square, and white. There was an ordinary brown door and two windows. There was a brown wecome mat in front of the door. Kiba smacked into the door before realizing that he had to turn the knob.

Once Kiba had vanished into his home, Shino shifted the car into drive. Hinata turned to face him as they sped off. "Look, Shino, I'm sorry about earlier..."

Shino interrupted her. "I was just calming you down. If Naruto had said it," Shino was referring to the blonde boy who had been with Ino, Sasuke, and Sakura, "I would have probably done the same."

This lowered Hinata's spirits a bit. She stuttered quietly. "D-did her words upset y-you?"

Shino smiled. This reminded him of the old Hinata, the one who could barely get her words out, let alone punch people in the face. Much to Hinata's suprise, Shino reached for her hand and grasped it in his own. He said nothing as he kept driving with his remaining hand.

A blush spread on Hinata's face, but she trained her eyes onto the dashboard. She reached with her free hand to his car stereo, and turned it on. His CD changer was set on his Flyleaf CD, so she pressed the 'seek track' button until she got to track four.

"The question asked in order to save her life or ta-ake it..." They sang loudly and in harmony. Hinata's voice was lovely and soft, while Shino's was deep and rumbling. The sang every word to the next couple of songs on the CD before reaching their destination.

When Shino parked in a parking spot at the school, he shut off his car and shoved his keys into the pocket of his oversized jacket. He turned to his friend. "It's Friday. Are you coming over for tutoring after school?" He asked her.

"Of course." Was her answer. She then asked him a question. "Could you give me a ride? Neji had baseball practice today."

It was Shino's turn to answer with an automatic, "Of course."

The two best friends grinned at eachother and got out of the car before putting on their backpacks and sprinting to Biology.

* * *

Hinata and Shino were lab partners in Biology. This was made possible by the fact that Shino's father, Mr. Aburame, was the teacher. And that he believed his son worked well with Hinata. Today, Mr. Aburame was wearing an ACDC tee-shirt, ripped jeans, and black tennishoes. In Hinata's opinion, Mr. Aburame was the coolest teacher at Konoha High.

Mr. Aburame's whiteboard was wiped clean from last period, and he wrote a word out on the board with blue marker. "E-N-D-O-C-R-I-N-E." He spelled out as he wrote each letter into the board. There were scientific posters all around the room, and a life-sized skeleton leaned against the board. He had papers stacked all over his desk, whick was to the left of the board.

His longish dark brunette hair fluttered softly around his face, framing his sharp facial features. His golden eyes glowed behind his rectangular eyeglasses. "Today, class, we're learning about the endocrine system..." The tall, slender teacher spoke with a voice that was almost identical to Shino's.

Normally, Hinata would be totally absorbed in Mr. Aburame's lecture. But she had business to tend to. She got a notebook out of her backpack and began scribbling words down. As quietly as she could, she ripped the page out and passed it to Shino's large hand. He paused to read what she had wrote.

_What was up with you holding my hand in the car? I'd swear you were turning into a sap._

She could practically feel the smirk that formed on his face before he lowered his pen to the paper and wrote something beneath it. He folded the paper slowly, shoulders hunched to she couldn't peer over and read what he had written. When he finally gave her the note, her eyes took in the words inked into the page.

_It was out of pity._

And he had drawn a smiling face next to the words.

Hinata took this as an oppurtunity to slam the toe of her shoe into the back of his shin. He had to bite his lip to prevent from crying out in pain. She wrote a new statement.

_Be serious, or I will kick you harder._

She drew her own smiley face, this one with devil horns, and gave him the folded paper. He took a few minutes to write his message before giving the paper back. Hinata was anxious to read what he had said.

_Fine, demon girl. You know, you used to be the cutest thing in elementary school. Wearing dresses every day to school every day, never talking to anyone except me, Kiba, and Neji. I had the biggest crush on you back then. You were the prettiest girl I had ever known, and you were my best friend. I was the luckiest boy at Fallen Leaves Elementary._

_To tell you the truth, I still feel that way about you. I don't want to ruin our friendship with my stupid emotions, but I feel like you need me right now as more than a friend. I've been watching you slip into this hole of anger and depression, and I can't stand you being like this. Allow me to help you, Hinata._

Hinata's lavender eyes were glued to the page. A shiver was sent down her spine as she realized that he was right. She had been crying herself to sleep every night, and she didn't see hope in anything anymore. She just didn't care about herself. But she cared about her friends, and they were the reasons she got out of bed every morning. She quickly hid the note in her backpack, which was sitting on the desk. She turned to her lab partner, and their eyes met. His black orbs were filled with sincerity as they locked with hers.

She returned her gaze to Mr. Aburame, but slid her hand under the desk to find Shino's. Her fingers laced with his and she heard him sigh in relief. A small smile played on her lips, and a blush spread over her face as the tip of his thumb began tracing circles around her knuckle.

Suddenly, she felt something she hadn't felt for a long time.

She felt hope.


	3. Caught Up In A Moment

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Naruto people. (I know, I'm so original.)

**Author's Note**: Good luck with high school, MiDoRi-ChAn LuVs PoNyS! It's great once you get used to it, don't worry! I had great friends to help me through freshman year (and my boyfriend being a sophmore didn't hurt either, lol) and I had a wonderful time. I'm sure you'll do great, with such a great personality!

**Key**:

_**Music**_

* * *

After biology, Hinata went to her P.E. class. This consisted of Mr. Mori making them run around the track. For once, Hinata didn't mind. It gave her time to think things through.

She mulled the thoughts of Shino over in her mind as she ran on the rubber track. Sweat dotted her face, making her black bangs stick to her forehead. She was wearing her P.E. uniform; orange shorts and a white tee-shirt. Her shirt had 'H. Hyuuga' printed on the front in green text.

Shino. He was her best friend, and she had always been close to him. She considered how she always got a tickly feeling when he accidentally brushed up against her, how she blushed when he spoke to her. She could still feel the lingering feeling of his hand around hers like he was there now, grasping her hand as she ran. She thought about the parking lot, and how much she had wanted to kiss him. And she thought about how angry she had been at Sakura when she had mentioned them being together; Hinata had been angry because she didn't have that. Thought she couldn't have him. But now, things were changing. Hinata needed Shino. Like the moon needed the sun to shine light down on the Earth at night. Hinata was the silvery moon, and Shino was her brilliant sun.

Hence, Hinata came to a conclusion. She loved Shino.

And it wasn't a he's-my-best-friend sort of a love. It was full blown head-over-heels I-want-to-be-with-him-forever love. The more Hinata tried, the harder it was to imagine her future without him. It would be like living with only half of her soul.

Mr. Mori's whistle broke her away from her thoughts. She finished her last lap around the track and headed towards the locker room. She walked in, overwhelmed by the smell of purfume. She had never found the need to wear it herself, since it made her sensitive skin itch. She approached her P.E. locker and dialed the combination. It was when she clicked the lock open that she heard the scream.

"_What_ did you say about Sasuke?!" Hinata heard the furious shriek come from the queen bee herself, Ino Yamanaka. Hinata turned around to see Ino right up in Sakura Haruno's face, cheeks red and fists balled in anger.

Sakura, who had uttered the original comment, spoke loudly. "That he's a _player_." She growled at Ino, flexing her fingers in preperation for a fight.

Ino grimaced evilly and went flying at Sakura, tearing at her P.E. shirt. Ino's force had knocked Sakura over, and Sakura kicked Ino off her and into a locker. Without hesitating, Sakura quickly stood up and threw a punch at Ino's face.

Ino dodged it. Sakura's knuckles hit the locker with a loud 'clang' as her silver ring connected with the metal of the locker. Ino brought her right fist up into Sakura's chin, the pink haired girl's head thrown back as she fell to the ground.

Luckilly, Ms. Nezumi, a female P.E. teacher, was there to break up the fight. She grabbed both girls by their shoulders and dragged them to the principal's office. All the while, the two were spitting and glaring at eachother.

Hinata smirked. If Ms. Nezumi hadn't interfered, Ino would have knocked Sakura out for sure. Hinata returned to her locker and changed out of her P.E. uniform and into her everyday clothing. She shut the locker and put the lock back on before slinging her backpack over her shoulders and walking out of the girl's locker room with an amused expression on her face.

Shino was outside waiting for her. He spoke, eyes shining with confusion. "What happened with Ino and Sakura?" He must have seen them leaving with Mr. Nezumi.

"They got into a catfight. Guess what it was over." They were so predectible.

Shino guessed on the first try. "Sasuke?" Of course. Sakura and Ino had been fighting over Sasuke since they were in fifth grade. And now that Sasuke was Ino's boyfriend, Sakura was bound to be very angry at the blonde girl.

Hinata grinned. "What brats."

He nodded, agreeing silently.

They continued walking to Shino's car as Hinata described the details of the fight to him. His eyes widened when she mentioned Sakura trying to punch Ino in the first place. He laughed with is booming voice. "Well, now we know you would have won that fight against her."

Hianta punched him in the shoulder and muttered. "Shut up."

They got to the car and got in. Shino started it, and his Flyleaf CD was still on. He switched it to Avenged Sevenfold. The song "We Come Out At Night" from their 'Sounding the Seventh Trumpet' album shook the speakers. Shino started the car and backed up out of the parking space before driving towards his house.

Hinata pretended to play her imaginary guitar. She knew how to play, she had two electric guitars at home and considered herself to be pretty good, but her guitars weren't available at the moment.

Shino rolled his eyes at her behind his very dark sunglasses, but a low giggle escaped his lips. She was rocking out, with her tongue sticking out and her hair flying everywhere. To him, she looked stunning. Even playing her air guitar.

They pulled into Shino's driveway and got out of the car when it was shut up. Tenten's little red sports car was there already, and Tenten herself was sitting in its hood.

Hinata called to Tenten. "Don't you have fencing practice today?"

Tenten answered with a singsong voice. "Coach said I could skip. So, you guys ready for some studying?" She wiggled her eyebrows after she leapt off the hood of her car.

Shino and Hinata both smiled. Tenten had a great sense of humor, and she kept study sessions fun. Hinata personally thought that she balanced Neji's serious personality quite nicely. They made a good couple, like they were destined for eachother. Hinata remembered the starry-eyed look he had when he had gotten home from their second date, hand lingering on his lips as he walked through the house as if in a dream. Oh, she never let him forget _that_.

When all three sophmores were in the house, Tenten turned to Shino and asked. "Where's Kiba?" Her eyes wide with ignorace towards what Kiba had been up to lately.

Hinata spoke for Shino. "Kiba was with Shikamaru out behind the dumpster for half the day. When we saw him, he was definitely not being himself." Hinata told her.

Tenten's eyes filled with knowing. "Oh. Do you want me to beat him up during Biology tomorrow?" She asked, making her hand into a fist and punching the air.

Shino shook his head. "Nope. That's his mother's job." He grinned behind his collar, removing his sunglasses.

Hinata saw Shino's eyes on a daily basis, but was never bored of straring into them. They were pitch black; she couldn't tell where the pupil ended and the iris began. Emotions swum in them like fish in a sea, hyptnotizing her. She had to break her own lavender eyes away from his and get her History binder out of her backpack. "Okay, guys lets get started with world war two..."

The afternoon study session went as normal. Neji showed up an hour later, sitting next to Tenten and in a very bright mood. The four talked, mostly about school, but a little bit about gossip. They talked and studied for a few more hours before Neji and Tenten had to go back to the Hyuuga house. When they were gone, Hinata turned to Shino. They were both sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"I don't want to go home yet. Last time, I walked in on them making out on the couch." The made barfing noises to emphasize her disgust at the time.

Shino smiled. "Wanna listen to some music?" He inquired, standing up and pacing towards his large stereo.

Hinata nodded enthusiastically.

The tall boy pressed the 'on' button on his stereo. "What do you want to listen to?" He asked, picking up his CDs and shuffling through them. "Fuel, Evanescence, Hoobastank, Linkin Park..."

"Linkin Park." Hinata told him. She had been listening to Linkin Park since she was in fourth grade. It was what, essentially, lead to her music choices now. 'Hybrid Theory' was her first metal CD, and she had memorized every word.

Shino put the CD into the stereo and pressed play. The first song played; "Papercut" blasting the speakers and making the room shake.

The two teens sat next to eachother, tapping their feet to the beat.

**_"So I know that when it's time to sink or swim, That the face inside is hearing me, Right beneath my skin..."_**

When "skin" was spoken through the speaker, Hinata had crawled in front of Shino, gotten to her knees so she was straddling one of his legs, grabbed his face, and kissed him. She pressed her lips to his for a few seconds, and then reluctantly pulled herself back.

"You're right." She whispered pathetically. "I do need you."

They sat there for a while, Shino looking at her with confusion and happiness glowing in his eyes. Hinata's lavender iries were occupied with desperation.

_**"Everybody acts on the fact of the matter that I can't add up to what you can..."**_

Shino lowered his head and kissed her back.

His lips were soft and commanding. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in to his chest. Their hearts were thrumming at a million miles a minute, their temperatures spiked as they shared a desperate and loving moment. Their lips tore apart, but Shino still held her close to him. In the corner of her mind, she could hear the song "One Step Closer" playing on the stereo. But the only thing she could think about was the boy in front of her.

For the first time, Hinata witnessed a blush spreading on his face. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face and looked into her eyes. "A-are you sure t-this is what you want?"

Hinata nodded, and then rested her forehead on his neck. She felt weak, she felt innocent and shy. He made her feel so exposed. An air of love surrounded the two as she sat in his arms, caught up in a moment.


	4. Mistake

Disclaimer: I do not claim the Naruto characters as my own.

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for me to post a new chapter, I've been getting ready for the school year. This year is going to be a freakin blast; I just know. (Plus I'll be a sophmore, just like my characters!)

* * *

Shino drove Hinata home. They got out of the car, and Neji and Tenten were waiting for them on the porch. Tenten had changed into a short red dress, and Neji wasn't wearing his cap and had his hair down. They sat on the front step, watching Shino and Hinata as they walked towards them, holding hands.

Tenten giggled when they stopped before her and Neji. "I knew it." Her long brunette locks bounced around her face as faced Neji. "Didn't we totally call that one?"

Neji nodded, smiling at Tenten, before turning his face up towards his cousin and Shino. "Tenten and I are going to Gaara's place for a party. I asked Uncle Hitashi, and he said you could go with us." Neji eyed the tall boy next to Hinata. "Think you can come too?"

Shino had already extracted his cell phone from his jacket pocket with his free hand. He dialed the number for his home phone, and held the speaker to his ear as he listened to the ringing. Hinata heard a muffled hello before Shino spoke. "Hey, Dad, can I go with Hinata, Neji, and Tenten to Gaara's house? He's having a party." More words were uttered from Mr. Aburame, and then Shino said. "Thanks, Dad. I'll be home before one o'clock." He took the phone away from his ear and pressed the glowing red 'End Call' button. He adressed the three people he was with. "My dad says I can go." He flashed a grin at Hinata. "Shall we?"

She nodded, excited. She had been to several parties at Gaara Taka's house; it was large and there wasn't any parent supervision. Their parents had died in a car crash soon after Gaara was born, and Gaara lived with his older sister and brother, Temari and Kankuro. Temari was sixteen and a junior at Konoha High, and Kankuro was eighteen and a senior. Temari was popular with everyone, since she'd mostly hang out with the sophmores; nobody could pin her to a certain group if they tried. She was friends with everyone; from the scummy likes of Shikamaru to the royal popularity of Ino herself. Kankuro was a bit more reserved, and very scary at first. He wore all black, including a black leather jacket that practically screamed "I'm-going-to-kill-you". But Hinata knew him pretty well, since she was also good friends with Gaara, and he was pretty soft underneath his tough exterior. Hinata enjoyed spending time with the entire Taka family.

The two got into the car and Shino sped to the Taka residence. There was nobody outside the house, so Hinata assumed the party was on the smaller side. Shino parked next to the curb and got out. He ran around the car to her door as she shoved her cell phone into her pocket. Opening her door, Shino scooped her into his arms. She squealed, throwing her arms around his neck.

The Taka house was small and tan-colored. There were two windows with flower pots on the outside, and a rocking chair on the porch. Shino carried her to the welcome mat and Hinata dislodged one of her hands from his neck to ring the door bell. The chimes echoed through the house, and Hinata could hear voices from within.

The door opened, and they were greeted by Gaara's wide green eyes. "So, you two, eh?" He smirked at them. He opened the door wider so they could pass him.

Hinata stuck her tongue out at the redhead boy as Shino carried her to the living room. In the room they entered, there was an crimson armchair and couch. Shikamaru was sprawled out lazily on the floor, eyes closed like he was asleep. His dark brunette hair was tied up in a ponytail, and he was clad in jeans and a white tee-shirt. Temari sat in the armchair, chattering away with Chouji, who sat on the couch. Temari was wearing a black dress and had her hair pulled up into four ponytails. Chouji was a largely built boy with brunette hair and brown eyes, and he was wearing jeans and a teal tee-shirt.

Neji and Tenten walked up behind Shino and Hinata, hands clasped together.

Temari looked away from Chouji and greeted the four newcomers. "Hey guys!" She noticed that Hinata was in Shino's arms. This made her smile widen and her eyes glimmer with mischief. "Come on in!"

Shino set Hinata down gently before sitting against the wall and pulling her into his lap. She curled up next to his chest, feeling his steady breaths against her neck. Neji sat with Tenten on the couch.

Gaara entered the room, calling for Tenten. "Hey, Tenny? Can you help Kankuro in the kitchen with the food? He's hopeless." An exhasperated look occupied Gaara's face. He was wearing black jeans and a brown tee-shirt.

Tenten, who beamed at Gaara, nodded and stood. "Of course." She strode away from the couch and out of the room, towards the kitchen.

Gaara took her spot. "Okay guys, ready for some games?" His eyes flashed with mischief.

Everyone agreed. Temari spoke first. "Hey Shika, truth or dare?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes so he could look at her. "Uhh...truth." He didn't sound the least bit interested in the game.

Temari sat pondering for a moment. Then, she spoke as an idea popped into her head. "Who do you think is the hottest girl in your class?"

"Ino." He responded immediately.

Neji snorted, and Chouji nodded in a agreement.

Now, it was Shikamaru's turn to ask someone. "Uh...okay...hmm...um...Hinata!" It took him a while to figure out who he was going to pick. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." She answered.

He pressed his lips together as he thought. "What was the strangest crush you've ever had?"

A blush spread over Hinata's face. "In third and fourth grade, I had a crush on Naruto Uzumaki." She felt awful, talking about liking another guy in front of Shino.

But Shino reached forward and grasped her hand, squeezing it in his own to let her know that he understood.

Hinata looked around the room, then projected her voice. "Neji, truth or dare?"

"Dare." He said, undaunted. His lavender eyes shone against his pale skin.

Hinata grinned maliciously. "Take off all your clothes, except your boxers, and run around the back yard flapping your arms and screaming."

Neji started to undress, and Hinata turned to Shino and whispered. "I'm going to go check on Tenten, okay?" Shino nodded and kissed her ear before she got up and headed towards the kitchen.

When Hinata walked in, she couldn't believe her eyes. She saw Tenten with a glass in her hand, leaning against the counter. Kankuro, dressed in black pants and a black tee-shirt, was leaning against her, lips crashing down over hers. He had his hands on her face, so Hinata couldn't tell if Tenten was kissing him back.

Hinata stomped over to them and grasped Tenten's shoulder before ripping her away. They both reeked of alcohol, and Kankuro looked at her with a goofy smile on his face. She pulled Tenten out of the kitchen and to the front door, taking her outside and to Neji's truck. Situating a confused Tenten in the passenger seat, Hinata shook her by her shoulders. "Tenten! What was that all about?"

The girl before her giggled. "Kanky kissed me." She laughed harder, spitting a little on Hinata.

Hinata pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and texted Shino and Neji. The two boys were outside after a few minutes, during which Hinata kept a hawk eye on Tenten.

Neji hurried to Hinata's side, staring at Tenten. "What happened?" He whimpered. He'd never seen her in a state like this; her hair was messed up and she was drooling, her eyes glazed over as she swayed back and forth.

Hinata explained the situation. "From what I can tell, Kankuro and Tenten drank something alcoholic, and I think here had too much." She didn't dare tell her cousin that Tenten had been kissed by Kankuro, even though the older boy deserved the wrath Neji would bestow upon him.

Neji nodded. "Can you call her mom and ask her if she can sleep over with you? I want to keep an eye on her, and I don't want her to get in trouble for something Kankuro did." A look of anger flickered in his eyes.

Hinata made the phone call. Tenten's mother innocently agreed that it would be a splendid idea.

Shino, who had been hovering behind Hinata, spoke. "I'll drive you home, Hina." He offered.

Hinata stepped away from Neji's truck and let her cousin close the door. She prayed ferverently that Tenten wouldn't say anything to Neji in her current state. Sighing, Hinata walked to Shino's car with him following behind her.

When they were safely in their seats, buckled up, and Neji had driven away, Shino said something. "What really happened?" He knew there was something wrong from the worried look that occupied Hinata's face.

Hinata looked at Shino hopelessly. "Tenten and Kankuro were kissing when I went in there. I don't know who started it or if it was purely a result of the alcohol, but I'm scared a little for Neji. What if Tenten really wants Kankuro?" She fretted, pushing her pointer fingers together.

Shino assured her as the car continued to move down the road. "Tenten really does love Neji. I've seen it in her eyes. What happened was just a mistake."

Hinata really wished it so, because Neji was so happy with Tenten in his life. If Tenten left him, she was sure Neji would die inside. Tenten was his whole life, he had told her so; he planned to marry her and have children with her and grow old by her side. Hinata desperately hoped that Shino was right.

When they got to the Hyuuga house, Shino turned off the car and looked over at Hinata. She looked back into his black eyes, uncovered by his sunglasses, not wanting him to leave.

"Stay with me." Her voice was the faintest of whispers.

Shino just nodded and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed his home phone number and spoke to his father again. He asked permission to sleep over with Neji, and his father agreed. Hinata was sure Mr. Aburame knew who Shino was really going to spend his time with.

When the two were inside the house, they ran into Hitashi. His lavender eyes were warm. "Hello, Shino. Are you staying the night?" Shino nodded hesitantly. Hitashi's face remained serious. "Okay, but I expect the four of you to sleep in Neji's room. And no funny business. My room is right next door to his." He warned them.

Shino smiled at Hinata's father, suprised that he was being so generous. "Of course."

They headed to Neji's room. He was in there with Tenten, sitting on his bed cross-legged with her head in his lap. She was sleeping peacefully. "Come on in." He said.

Shino and Hinata entered. Neji offered for Shino to borrow some black basketball shorts to sleep in, and Shino accepted gratefully. Hinata dashed to her own room for a minute to slip into red pajama pants and a white tank top. She brought back with her a nightgown for Tenten if she awoke. Neji had already layed down next to her, eyes closing slowly as sleep claimed him. There was already a large sleeping bag on the floor. Shino slipped into it, and Hinata hung the nightgown over the bedpost before shutting off the light and getting in to the sleeping bag next to him.

His body was so much larger than hers, and it was so warm. She could feel his muscles through the thin fabric of her shirt as they pressed against her back. He wrapped his arms around her, and she sighed in content. He buried his face in her hair, shaking a little. Only when she noticed something wet on her neck did she realize something was wrong.

"What's the matter, Shino?" She whispered softly as he wept.

He pressed his face further into his hair. "Nothing. I'm just so overwhelmed by my love for you right now." He muttered.

Hinata smiled in the dark. She felt her own love for him radiating warmth from the pit of her stomach. She closed her eyes, Shino protecting her as she drifted off into dreamland.


End file.
